Wednesday, 29 February 2012

For an affordable way to choose natural beauty, I rather like the Yes To... ranges. The best known is Yes to Carrots, designed for normal to dry skin and this is joined by Yes to Baby Carrots, the babycare line. Other sub-ranges include Yes to Tomatoes for combination or oily skin, Yes to Cucumbers for sensitive skin and the newest addition, Yes to Blueberries for age-damaged and mature skin. As a result of chopping and changing products regularly, all in the name of research for my job, my skin has become sensitized so I was excited to try Yes to Cucumbers Daily Gentle Facial Cleanser.

Yes to Cucumbers Daily Gentle Facial Cleanser contains 99.6% Natural Ingredients and is free from the usual nasties such as petroleum, parabens and SLS. I really liked the sound of the ingredients, for example, cucumbers which are mildly astringent and can help reduce puffiness; soothing aloe vera to refresh and moisturise and green tea which is rich in antioxidants.

The cleanser is presented in functional tube packaging with a flip top for ease of use. It's not the most luxurious but it's not offensive. For some reason, the white packaging made me expect a cream cleanser but it's actually a gel. I quite like the speed and convenience of using a gel face wash in the mornings and I've now been using this for a few weeks.

Despite being SLS free, there is a gentle lather. The gel has a fresh cucumber fragrance which I found very pleasant. The gel feels softening as you use it and I was impressed that my skin wasn't left feeling tight afterwards. Skin is left feeling refreshed and clean.

Saturday, 18 February 2012

Origins Make A Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment contains Rose of Jericho, a plant which can survive and thrive after decades of drought, along with cell-reviving Trehalose from corn sugar and Sea Haricots to help treat dramatic dehydration. Dehydrated skin is a common complaint so it's a product which I'm guessing might have wide appeal.

The packaging is on-brand for Origins, it's not the most exciting but it's functional. I initially thought that the simple instructions were straightforward enough but upon carrying out further research ahead of writing this post, I found that I'd actually been using the product in the wrong way for my skin type so perhaps not quite so idiot proof as I thought! During the trial, I used this as I would use a moisturiser, which is how I'd interpreted the directions. However, it turns out that it's intended to be used in a similar way to a serum- alone if you don't feel you need any further moisture or underneath moisturiser if you do.

I suppose I ought to have had some clue as to this during the trial. The texture is very lightweight and although it's a product which I'd be happy to use on its own during the summer months, I found that my skin felt tight and dry by lunchtime, leaving me desperate to apply moisturiser.

Origins Make A Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment has a light, peachy scent which isn't sickly- I really liked it.

I have to say that I didn't notice any rejuvenating effects and although I'll revisit this product again in future, it hasn't wowed me in the same way that other serums and skin treatments have.

Thursday, 16 February 2012

Having previously been somewhat dismissive of Clarins' skincare, I've been completely converted and now can't get enough of the products. I'm currently rather obsessed with the new Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil which is designed to treat dry skin.

If you're yet to discover face oils, you may think that they'll be greasy and will clog your pores. It's time to put aside those preconceptions- they won't and are suitable even if you have oily skin (in fact, oil helps to treat oily skin). Whether you're looking to try a face oil for the first time, or are already a fan, Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil is a good option.
Presented in a small bottle with pipette dispenser, it's easy to control how much you use. A little goes a long way and I found that I only needed a couple of drops to nourish my face. The oil feels velvety to apply. It's not heavy on the skin and is easily absorbed. As with all oils, I found that the texture encouraged facial massage. Cardomom is the predominant scent which won't be to everyone's liking but I personally found the exotic fragrance pleasant. As the name suggests, Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil also contains sandalwood along with lavender essential oils.
Since incorporating Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil into my routine, my skin has felt softer and more conditioned. I've found the oil to be very soothing, it promotes healing and helps reduce redness.
At £29 for 30ml, I find this reasonably priced and highly recommend it.

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Here's one for all the single ladies this Valentine's Day... Lush It's Raining Men Shower Gel.

From the cheeky name to the honey-packed formula and creamy consistency, if this doesn't make you sing in the shower, nothing will.
The scent of It's Raining Men Shower Gel is the same as Lush's bestselling Honey I Washed The Kids Soap. If you're not familiar with the scent, it's a tempting blend of rich honey-toffee and exotic flowers which also lingers delicately on the skin after the shower. On first impressions, I was disappointed that the scent wasn't sweeter and I found the exotic flowers a little heavy and overwhelming but once I used the shower gel a few times, the scent grew on me and I quite liked it.
It does contain SLS, which I'd personally rather it didn't, but this does mean that it gives a relatively good lather and I have to admit that I didn't find it drying.
I didn't love this as much as Happy Hippy or Grass Shower Gels from Lush, purely based on personal preference when it comes to scent but it's worth checking out at just £4.25 for 100g.

Friday, 10 February 2012

In keeping with my recent austerity beauty MUA review, I thought I'd look at another wallet friendly product, this time under the skincare category. Skin Deep is never going to be a budget blog as that's not a true reflection of the products which I personally opt for. However, you'd have to have been living on the moon not to realise that times are tough and so I am intending to review a few more affordable brands (under £10) and would love to hear your thoughts.
Palmer's is a popular drugstore brand, best loved for its stretchmark fighting cocoa butter range. In the last year, Palmer's launched a skincare line and today's review is of the Line Smoothing Eye Cream from the range, costing a wallet friendly £6.95.
The packaging reflects the distinctive Palmer's branding but is a little non-descript. It certainly wouldn't jump out on a shelf without the brand awareness and it does look like a budget product. The box is rather large given the 15g tube inside so it's not going to score any points with eco warriors either. Having said that, the packaging boasts that the cream contains vitamin E and retinol and this intrigued me to see how results driven it would be. The directions for use were clear and the packaging functional.
Palmer's Line Smoothing Eye Cream is described as having a fresh white lily fragrance. Personally, I couldn't detect this and would describe it instead as cocoa butter and whilst this was by no means offensive, I'd have prefered it to be unfragranced.
By far the best thing about Palmer's Line Smoothing Eye Cream is the formula. It's light, non-greasy, easily absorbed and the ideal base for makeup. The eye area is left feeling moisturised and if you're looking for a product to do just this, I would recommend Palmer's Line Smoothing Eye Cream. I'd also recommend it to anyone looking to buy their first eye cream.
I can't say that I noticed any significant line smoothing results and in this respect, I was a little disappointed as I don't feel that it lives up to the name or the suggestion that it is a results driven product based on the inclusion of retinol. If you're looking to target fine lines, I wouldn't recommend this product.